Ready to make 2017 your biggest, boldest year yet? Interviewing yourself may be the key.
I interview local and national leaders from all walks of life who have demonstrated boldness and courage. Over the years, I’ve honed in on several questions that help me get to the heart of what makes these leaders so special. These same questions will help you get to the heart of your passion, too.
Take some time to walk through these questions and make some new discoveries about yourself:
Who is the most influential person in your life?
For many of my guests, it’s a parent or a partner. For one guest, it was a very special dog. Who has done the most to make you who you are today?
When you’ve identified that influencer, consider how they influenced you, and what impacts you see in your life today. Then, take time to write that influencer a letter, describing his or her influence on you – good or bad. Express gratitude for how you’ve used their influence to improve your life, and the lives of those around you. If possible, share your letter with the person who has influenced you, and let them know about the difference they have made for you, especially if the difference has been a positive one. Love boldly, and speak affirmation freely. That’s moxie.
What is your defining moment?
Life is filled with “a-ha” moments, those stunning moments where a flash of insight or inspiration or realization changes a person’s trajectory. A passion surfaces, a talent is recognized, a purpose is gained. What’s yours? How did that moment shape you? How is it still shaping you today?
Returning to that defining moment can help you refocus on your purpose, and renew your passion for the work ahead.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Maybe it’s a character shortcoming that causes you to struggle. Maybe it’s a physical trait. Maybe it’s a life circumstance.
Once you’ve identified something you’d like to change about yourself, you have a couple of options. You can change it. You can accept it. Or you can celebrate it.
If the pain of remaining the same has become greater than the pain of change, perhaps you are ready to take the plunge and let go of something that’s been holding you back. If it’s something you can’t change, perhaps it’s time to accept that this is part of who you are, and make adjustments to your life to accommodate it.
Or, just maybe, you need to change your perspective. Maybe this thing you’d like to change about yourself is really a gift. Maybe it is what sets you apart and makes you special. Perhaps it isn’t something to be changed, but is something to be celebrated. Embrace yourself with gusto.
If you could write a letter to a younger you, what would you write?
All of your experiences can be used to make you stronger, wiser, better. What have you learned that you wish you knew a decade ago? Last year? Last week?
Acknowledging what you’ve learned will help you grasp how much you’ve grown and changed. You’ve come a long way, and opportunities to gain wisdom and strength are ahead.
If today was your last day on earth, how would you want to be remembered?
I ask this question of every guest, and the responses are often revealing. Confronting our own mortality has a way of bringing passions and priorities into sharp focus.
You’ll hear the answer to these questions and more from a number of leaders in 2017. Check out this page for a sneak peek at episodes that are already in production.
Who else would you like to hear from this year? Share your feedback in the comments.
